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{{Infobox
{{Infobox
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|header3 = Original Broadcast Date
|header3 = Original Broadcast Date
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|label10  = Preceded by:  
|label10  = Preceded by:  
|label11 = Followed by:  
|label11 = Followed by:  
|data8 = [[:Category:Serious Monologue|Serious Monologue]], [[:Category:Absurd Monologue|Absurd Monologue]], [[:Category:Telephone|Telephone]], [[:Category:Singing|Singing]], 1 hour
|data8 = [[:Category:Serious Monologue|Serious Monologue]], [[:Category:Absurd Monologue|Absurd Monologue]], [[:Category:Telephone|Telephone]], [[:Category:Singing|Singing]], 53 minutes
|data4  = December 3, [[2000]]
|data4  = December 3, [[:Category:2000|2000]]
|title = [https://www.joefrank.com/shop/bitter-pill Bitter Pill][https://www.joefrank.com/streaming/shows/?jfsearch=Bitter%20Pill]
|below = [https://www.joefrank.com/?s={{#invoke:URLEncode|encode|{{PAGENAME}}}} Purchase]
|data6  = Joe Frank, [[Larry Block|Larry Block]], [[Maude Gaines|Maude Gaines]]
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|data6  = [[Larry Block]], [[Maude Gaines]], Joe Frank
|data10 = [[Brothers]]
|data10 = [[Brothers]]
|data11 = [[Sunday Morning Service]]
|data11 = [[Sunday Morning Service]]
|data2  = [[The Other Side (Series)]]
|data2  = [[The Other Side (Series)|The Other Side]]
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''"If I could write something it would be about, uh you know, equating one's mother to a sun."''
''"If I could write something it would be about, uh you know, equating one's mother to a sun."''


'''Bitter Pill''' is a program Joe Frank produced as part of the series [[The Other Side (Series)]]. It was originally broadcast on December 3, [[2000]].
'''Bitter Pill''' is a program Joe Frank produced as part of the series [[The Other Side (Series)|The Other Side]]. It was originally broadcast on December 3, [[:Category:2000|2000]].


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
[[Larry Block]]: a celebration for his mother's 80th birthday, run away bunny, comparing country clubs.
Larry talks with Joe about what he'd write for his mother's 80th
birthday, how he doesn't want to talk about decline, which Joe thinks
is unavoidable.


Monologue: high school buddy "Danny" the musician and his depressed daughter, Joe Having children, children are terrorists and vampires.
2:30: Joe tells us about Danny, whom he knew in high school; Danny was
a brilliant musician.<ref>Apparently Stephen J. Lawrence, composer for
&lsquo;Sesame Street&rsquo; and &lsquo;Free to be&hellip;&rsquo; <br>


([[Maude Gaines]]): The ideal future and having children, bad sex, therapy.
From [https://www.npr.org/2022/01/03/1069882076/sesame-street-composer-stephen-lawrence-dead NPR&apos;s obituary]:
<blockquote>
&lsquo;Cathy [his wife] says one of Stephen&apos;s closest friends
growing up was Joe Frank, who would later become a cult favorite on
KCRW and public radio nationwide.  She says Stephen and Joe shared a
&ldquo;goofy and mischievous&rdquo; sense of humor.&rsquo;
<p>
&lsquo;Stephen Lawrence grew up in Great Neck, N.Y.  His father worked
at a glue factory.  His wife, Cathy Lawrence, a New York cantor, says
Stephen &ldquo;was one of those five-year-olds who could walk to the
piano and play anything.&rdquo; He wasn&apos;t much of a sight-reader,
she elaborates, but could pick up just about anything by ear.
&lsquo;His father, who also was a musician, &ldquo;loved to show
Stephen off,&rdquo; she says.  When friends were over, &ldquo;he would
have Stephen sit under the piano and his father would play a chord and
Stephen would call out the notes,&rdquo; she says.&rsquo;
</blockquote>
<p>
From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_J._Lawrence the Wikipedia page]:
<p>
<blockquote>
&lsquo;Lawrence was born on September 5, 1939.  He gained his B.A. in
music from Hofstra University and during his lifetime composed more
than 300 songs and scores for Sesame Street&rsquo;


Old tapes: pop songs, woman singing "I remember you"
&lsquo;Lawrence married Christine Jones in 1984, and their daughter Hannah was born two years later.  After divorcing, he then married Cathy Schwartzman in 2002.&rsquo;</blockquote></ref>  Joe plays a tape of his girlfriend, Donna,
singing along to Danny playing the piano when they were 16.  Joe says
Donna fashioned herself after
[[Wikipedia:Chris_Connor|Chris Connor]]. She sings
'Like someone in love'
 
5:30: Joe says that Danny and he went to the same college.  Danny was
brilliant, wrote musicals every year for the college.  After college
he wrote songs recorded by Andy Williams and Tony Bennett, for TV and
film, but not the Broadway musicals he wanted to write.  He married
Linda, but had a rocky relationship.  Despite agreeing not to have
children Linda got pregnant; Danny wanted her to get an abortion; she
didn't.  Danny was afraid and angry at Linda.  After the child, Jenny,
was born Danny loved her deeply, was irrationally afraid that
something would harm her.  Danny and Linda separated when Jenny was
young, had joint custody.  Jenny displayed OCD behavior, became
depressed.  Danny's health failed.
 
12:50: Maude Gaines (20) tells Joe about high school, how terrible it
was: 'everyone was a speed addict, everyone had to go to rehab,
everyone I knew had divorced parents&hellip;'
 
13:20: Larry tells Joe about his mother's birthday party.  It was at
the Middle Bay country club.<ref>This exists where Larry says.</ref>
Joe says his parents belonged to the much-better North Shore country
club.<ref>Which is near Chicago, not where Joe says it is.</ref>  They
slang each other's country club.
 
18:10: Larry describes his mother's birthday party.  They recur to the
Middle Bay/North Shore argument.
 
21:40: Joe says he was married and divorced years ago; it seems
remote.  He says he's happy with his life now, has friends, doesn't
covet marriage and parenthood.  He talks about misbehaving children.
He expects all relationships to fail.  He looks at decrepit old
people, wonders if that's the fate of all of us.
 
26:20: Maude Gaines can't wait to have children and a house, be an
artist - all sorts of great things.  Her actual relationships never
work out.
 
28:30: Larry tells Joe about the blown-up picture of his mother.
 
31:40: Maude Gaines says she's never made love, or even kissed,
someone she loved, only people she didn't.  She recounts her first
time.
 
35:40: Larry tells Joe about his sleepless night before his mother's
birthday party, worried about what to say.  He read 'The runaway
bunny'.<ref>Also mentioned in [[Karma Crash]]</ref>
 
41:40: Joe tells us that his mother has grown more dependent on her
cat, Prince, since the death of everyone in her generation, including
her husband.<ref>Theodore Frank,'Freddy', died in 1995.</ref> She spoils Prince;
Prince abuses her.  Joe hates Prince, imagines the cruel death he'll
inflict on him after his mother dies.
 
47:40: Larry tells Joe about how his mother was.
 
49:30: Maude Gaines says she's still young enough to manage her life
without professional help; Joe suggests therapy.  She claims to
understand herself completely.
 
51:40: It sounds like more of Danny and Donna, performing 'I remember
you'
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:95%; overflow:auto;">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Legacy Synopsis</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
* [[Larry Block]]: a celebration for his mother's 80th birthday; comparing country clubs; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Runaway_Bunny ''The Runaway Bunny''].
* Monologue: high school buddy "Danny" the musician and his depressed daughter; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Either/Or ''Either/Or''] and the impossibility of escaping misery; Joe not having children; children are terrorists and vampires.
* [[Maude Gaines]]: The ideal future and having children; bad sex; therapy.
</div></div>
 
== Music ==
{{Epominomous, Where Are You? (Mike Richmond)‎}} [Intro]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_Someone_in_Love "Like Someone in Love"] - sung by Joe's high school girlfriend Donna, with Danny on piano. Recorded in Joe's living room when he was 16 (~1954) [3:07]
* "[[I Remember You]]" - sung by Donna with Danny on piano [51:41]
 
== Additional credits ==
From the broadcast, 'You've been listening to Joe Frank "The Other
Side".  This program was called "Bitter Pill" with Larry Block, Maude
Gaines, and Joe Frank - production by J. C. Swiatek and [[Bob Carlson]],
production assistance: Esm&eacute; Gregson, music consultant: Thomas
Golubi&#263;'


== Commentary ==
== Commentary ==
{{commentary}}
I find Donna's singing more impressive than Danny's playing.[[User:Arthur Peabody|Arthur Peabody]] ([[User talk:Arthur Peabody|talk]]) 22:43, 21 January 2022 (EST)
 
Maude Gaines is almost a parody of a 20-year-old.[[User:Arthur Peabody|Arthur Peabody]] ([[User talk:Arthur Peabody|talk]]) 22:43, 21 January 2022 (EST)
 
Is Cathy Lawrence Donna?[[User:Arthur Peabody|Arthur Peabody]] ([[User talk:Arthur Peabody|talk]]) 17:53, 23 November 2024 (PST)
 
== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSnJOEOiwpM Bitter Pill] (YouTube)
 
== Footnotes ==


[[Category:Serious_Monologue]]
[[Category:Serious_Monologue]]
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[[Category:Singing]]
[[Category:Singing]]
[[Category:Larry Block]]
[[Category:Larry Block]]
[[Category:Maude Gaines|Maude Gaines]]
[[Category:Maude Gaines]]
[[Category:I Remember You|I Remember You]]
[[Category:I Remember You]]
[[Category:2000]]
[[Category:2000]]
[[Category:Show]]
[[Category:The Other Side]] [[Category:Show_by_date|20001203]] {{Airdate|airdate=2000-12-03}}
{{Series|series=The Other Side}}{{Cast|cast=[[Larry Block]], [[Maude Gaines]], Joe Frank}}

Latest revision as of 17:53, 23 November 2024

Series
The Other Side
Original Broadcast Date
December 3, 2000
Cast
Larry Block, Maude Gaines, Joe Frank
Format
Serious Monologue, Absurd Monologue, Telephone, Singing, 53 minutes
Preceded by: Brothers
Followed by: Sunday Morning Service
Purchase

"If I could write something it would be about, uh you know, equating one's mother to a sun."

Bitter Pill is a program Joe Frank produced as part of the series The Other Side. It was originally broadcast on December 3, 2000.

Synopsis

Larry talks with Joe about what he'd write for his mother's 80th birthday, how he doesn't want to talk about decline, which Joe thinks is unavoidable.

2:30: Joe tells us about Danny, whom he knew in high school; Danny was a brilliant musician.[1] Joe plays a tape of his girlfriend, Donna, singing along to Danny playing the piano when they were 16. Joe says Donna fashioned herself after Chris Connor. She sings 'Like someone in love'

5:30: Joe says that Danny and he went to the same college. Danny was brilliant, wrote musicals every year for the college. After college he wrote songs recorded by Andy Williams and Tony Bennett, for TV and film, but not the Broadway musicals he wanted to write. He married Linda, but had a rocky relationship. Despite agreeing not to have children Linda got pregnant; Danny wanted her to get an abortion; she didn't. Danny was afraid and angry at Linda. After the child, Jenny, was born Danny loved her deeply, was irrationally afraid that something would harm her. Danny and Linda separated when Jenny was young, had joint custody. Jenny displayed OCD behavior, became depressed. Danny's health failed.

12:50: Maude Gaines (20) tells Joe about high school, how terrible it was: 'everyone was a speed addict, everyone had to go to rehab, everyone I knew had divorced parents…'

13:20: Larry tells Joe about his mother's birthday party. It was at the Middle Bay country club.[2] Joe says his parents belonged to the much-better North Shore country club.[3] They slang each other's country club.

18:10: Larry describes his mother's birthday party. They recur to the Middle Bay/North Shore argument.

21:40: Joe says he was married and divorced years ago; it seems remote. He says he's happy with his life now, has friends, doesn't covet marriage and parenthood. He talks about misbehaving children. He expects all relationships to fail. He looks at decrepit old people, wonders if that's the fate of all of us.

26:20: Maude Gaines can't wait to have children and a house, be an artist - all sorts of great things. Her actual relationships never work out.

28:30: Larry tells Joe about the blown-up picture of his mother.

31:40: Maude Gaines says she's never made love, or even kissed, someone she loved, only people she didn't. She recounts her first time.

35:40: Larry tells Joe about his sleepless night before his mother's birthday party, worried about what to say. He read 'The runaway bunny'.[4]

41:40: Joe tells us that his mother has grown more dependent on her cat, Prince, since the death of everyone in her generation, including her husband.[5] She spoils Prince; Prince abuses her. Joe hates Prince, imagines the cruel death he'll inflict on him after his mother dies.

47:40: Larry tells Joe about how his mother was.

49:30: Maude Gaines says she's still young enough to manage her life without professional help; Joe suggests therapy. She claims to understand herself completely.

51:40: It sounds like more of Danny and Donna, performing 'I remember you'

Legacy Synopsis
  • Larry Block: a celebration for his mother's 80th birthday; comparing country clubs; The Runaway Bunny.
  • Monologue: high school buddy "Danny" the musician and his depressed daughter; Either/Or and the impossibility of escaping misery; Joe not having children; children are terrorists and vampires.
  • Maude Gaines: The ideal future and having children; bad sex; therapy.

Music

Additional credits

From the broadcast, 'You've been listening to Joe Frank "The Other Side". This program was called "Bitter Pill" with Larry Block, Maude Gaines, and Joe Frank - production by J. C. Swiatek and Bob Carlson, production assistance: Esmé Gregson, music consultant: Thomas Golubić'

Commentary

I find Donna's singing more impressive than Danny's playing.Arthur Peabody (talk) 22:43, 21 January 2022 (EST)

Maude Gaines is almost a parody of a 20-year-old.Arthur Peabody (talk) 22:43, 21 January 2022 (EST)

Is Cathy Lawrence Donna?Arthur Peabody (talk) 17:53, 23 November 2024 (PST)

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Apparently Stephen J. Lawrence, composer for ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Free to be…’
    From NPR's obituary:

    ‘Cathy [his wife] says one of Stephen's closest friends growing up was Joe Frank, who would later become a cult favorite on KCRW and public radio nationwide. She says Stephen and Joe shared a “goofy and mischievous” sense of humor.’

    ‘Stephen Lawrence grew up in Great Neck, N.Y. His father worked at a glue factory. His wife, Cathy Lawrence, a New York cantor, says Stephen “was one of those five-year-olds who could walk to the piano and play anything.” He wasn't much of a sight-reader, she elaborates, but could pick up just about anything by ear. ‘His father, who also was a musician, “loved to show Stephen off,” she says. When friends were over, “he would have Stephen sit under the piano and his father would play a chord and Stephen would call out the notes,” she says.’

    From the Wikipedia page:

    ‘Lawrence was born on September 5, 1939. He gained his B.A. in music from Hofstra University and during his lifetime composed more than 300 songs and scores for Sesame Street’

    ‘Lawrence married Christine Jones in 1984, and their daughter Hannah was born two years later. After divorcing, he then married Cathy Schwartzman in 2002.’
  2. ↑ This exists where Larry says.
  3. ↑ Which is near Chicago, not where Joe says it is.
  4. ↑ Also mentioned in Karma Crash
  5. ↑ Theodore Frank,'Freddy', died in 1995.
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